However, it couldn’t be said for Liu Jinfei. She needed to find a way to help him nonetheless.

It might take some time for Liu Jinfei to fully recover, but it didn’t matter so long as they could achieve that result. However, if things turned to worse, he could only accept his fate. Whether he gave up on cooking or not, it was up to him.

It took some time for Liu Jinfei to finally calm down. He lifted his head and saw Shen Lingqing engrossed in her own thoughts as she stared at the cup of tea in her hands.

Was she worried about him?

No. She couldn’t possibly be. Shen Lingqing must be reconsidering her options.

He couldn’t blame her. After all, Shen Lingqing must succeed in the challenge her father had set for her. Unless she proved herself worthy to become Shen Yi’s heir apparent, there’s no way she could keep him by her side for too long if the problem persisted. It would be better for her to hire another capable chef that could help her achieve her goal.

“What do you have in mind, Director Shen?” He asked, getting Shen Lingqing’s attention.

The Shen princess brought down her teacup on the table separating the two of them, and she then rested her chin on the back of her hand which was propped against the armchair.

“It would be better if we can have a professional to take a look at you, just in case there’s an underlying cause. We can’t overlook that possibility.”

“Then, let’s do that.” Liu Jinfei easily agreed with her.

He had been stalling going to a doctor to get himself checked, in fear that it would only prove his assumptions.

‘I guess I couldn’t avoid it in the end.’ He sighed inwardly.

“Then, that’s settled. I’ll ask Qiao Lian to arrange for an appointment as soon as possible.” She nodded.

“But what about the reopening of the restaurant? Are you going to postpone it?” He asked out of curiosity.

If one of her chefs wasn’t at the top of his game, then it would put Lin Xiao and Yang Fangjin under pressure. The two weren’t even aware of the problem Liu Jinfei had at this very moment.

Liu Jinfei didn’t want to cause trouble to anyone, especially to Shen Lingqing. If his problem persisted, even if he didn’t like it, he would ask Shen Lingqing to relieve him from his post.

“I hired you because of your skills, not because of your ability to taste. You better not forget that, Liu Jinfei.” Shen Lingqing rose to her feet and drew the curtain of the window, only for them to see the colorful fireworks that illuminated brightly up in the night sky.

Liu Jinfei realized that he truly couldn’t comprehend Shen Lingqing at times.

“I’ll keep that in mind. So sorry to trouble you, Director Shen. I would never doubt you ever again.”

“No, don’t do that.” Shen Lingqing disagreed with him. “Don’t blindly put your trust and loyalty in me. I don’t like being responsible for my subordinates’ actions. I don’t want you to feel grateful just because I’m helping you. I have a goal I need to reach; that’s enough reason for me to keep you by my side.”

Was this the reason why Shen Lingqing only had Qiao Lian and Fu Shuren next to her? Thinking about it, Liu Jinfei thought that he had never seen Shen Lingqing with a lot of bodyguards tailing her around, unlike the other young misses of other wealthy families.

“Okay.” Liu Jinfei didn’t ask about more things. He wasn’t sure if Shen Lingqing would answer him anyway.

Shen Lingqing was so used to hiding her emotions and keeping her thoughts to herself. Liu Jinfei had once heard during his etiquette lessons as a child that showing emotions was like showing one’s weakness in front of everyone.

The Shen princess was able to hide her emotions well and remain calm in every situation she was in. That was impressive in Liu Jinfei’s opinion to be honest.

“Aren’t you going to join Lin Xiao and have a look at the town’s festival?” Shen Lingqing suddenly asked, her eyes never leaving the fireworks that continued to bloom amid the night sky.

By this time, the locals and the tourists must be having a good time while celebrating the festival. Shen Lingqing wasn’t in the mood to celebrate, not when she didn’t have her family with her right now. It would be better if she could have a short vacation with the rest of them, no work added.

Ever since her return, she hardly saw her own parents and met her siblings because of their busy schedules. Perhaps her mother was right. She should ask Qiao Lian to find a perfect time to clear a few days off her schedule to spend time with them.

“No, I don’t have anyone to buy souvenirs for anyway. I’ll keep you company if you don’t mind,” Liu Jinfei replied.

He had been alone for a long time, and although he made acquaintances once in a while, Liu Jinfei made sure that no one would be able to get deep into his skin. It was his way to preserve his life, along with the others.

To think that Shen Lingqing shared some similarities with him was reassuring. Liu Jinfei didn’t really think that he would meet a person who shared the same view as him.

As he looked at Shen Lingqing’s cold eyes, he thought that there’s more to it. Her confidence might have been seen as arrogance by other people, but not by him. Just like him, Shen Lingqing kept everyone at arm’s length… not only to protect herself but also the people around her.

“Do as you wish.” Shen Lingqing didn’t mind having him here. With Qiao Lian not around, she found it hard to do everything on her own. At least she wouldn’t feel lonely for a moment.